Tag Archives: Mohawk Trail

Natural Wonders of Massachusetts

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🌲Closer Than You Think: 6 Natural Wonders Worth Exploring in Massachusetts

Here I am, living in Massachusetts, yet always chasing natural beauty elsewhere—Utah’s red rocks, Costa Rica’s coastlines, the wide-open West. But maybe it’s time to look a little closer to home. I recently stumbled across a list of the six best natural wonders in Massachusetts and couldn’t help but ask myself: how many have I actually seen?

Turns out, not as many as I’d hoped. But that’s about to change.

🏔️ Mount Greylock

The highest peak in Massachusetts towers over the Hoosic Valley, and on a clear day, you can see five states from its summit—Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, Vermont, and New Hampshire. The best time to visit? Late spring through early fall, when the hiking trails are alive with color and the foliage is at its fiery best. Heads up, leaf peepers—Mount Greylock deserves a spot on your seasonal bucket list.

Stock photo

đź’¦ Bash Bish Falls

Now this one I have visited—back in 2017. (You can find my post and a short video [here].) I always want to call it “Bish Bash Falls,” and I’m not sure why. There are two entrances, but I opted for the easy route from the New York side—a well-traveled dirt road that spares you the steep, rocky descent from the Massachusetts side. After a gentle walk, I was rewarded with the sight and sound of the falls. Worth every step.

Bash Bish Falls – photo credit Deb Neumann

🌳 Mohawk Trail State Forest

This one had me scratching my head. I’ve driven the Mohawk Trail many times en route to New York—it’s a scenic alternative to the highway, winding through Routes 2 and 2A. But I’d never heard of the Mohawk Trail State Forest. Turns out, it’s a 7,700-acre preserve spanning Charlemont, Hawley, and Savoy, established in 1921 to protect the area’s natural and historic beauty. If you follow the trail all the way to New York, brace yourself for some dramatic switchbacks near the state line. It’s a drive worth savoring.

Sharp Curve ahead- photo credit Deb Neumann

⛷️ Mount Wachusett

The tallest summit east of the Connecticut River, Mount Wachusett is a winter haven for skiers. I always say I’ll go photograph the slopes—but let’s be honest, I hate the cold. Maybe this year I’ll finally bundle up and make the trip. Or maybe I’ll wait for spring and hike instead.

🪨 Natural Bridge State Park

Located in North Adams, this park protects the only naturally formed white marble arch in North America. I think I’ve been here—though I may have just wandered the gorge. I remember massive holes carved into the rock by swirling whirlpools. If that’s the spot, it’s worth a second visit to confirm. Either way, it’s a geological gem.

Photo of dam

Photo Credit Viraj Naik

🌊 Halibut Point State Park

This one’s pure New England coastal charm. Located in Rockport, the park blends granite quarry history with salt air and sea breezes. You can even explore a former World War II fire control tower. It’s close to Crane Beach, one of my favorite summer destinations when I first moved to Massachusetts. The nostalgia alone makes it worth revisiting.

Photo of granite quarry

photo credit Kristy Samuels

🌿 Wrapping Up

Massachusetts may be known for its urban heartbeat—hello, Boston—but its natural soul runs deep. From mountain peaks to marble arches, scenic drives to seaside cliffs, there’s a wild beauty here that’s easy to overlook. But not anymore.

If you’re craving nature, you don’t have to travel far. Sometimes the wonder is right in your backyard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let’s go Maple Sugaring!

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Let’s go  Maple Sugaring!

After breakfast at Raff’s Cafe in Haverhill, we headed out to see how many  Maple Sugar houses we could visit in one day. Joe had downloaded a map with all of the places taking part in the Maple Sugar Festival. We decided to start with the southern-most farms first and work our way north if we had time. The closes farm looked to be the Robb Family Farm in Brattleboro, VT. We plugged the address of 827 Ames Hill Rd. Brattleboro Vt. into my On Star and were given an drive time of 2 hours , 6 minutes.

Getting there.

As we pulled out of the parking lot we noticed the overcast sky. Driving to Haverhill I’d passed through bands of rain, like squalls. It would be raining then dry then rain again. Joe checked the weather app but it did not give any indication of storms, just gray, cold and overcast so off we went!

Turns out the route wasn’t very direct. The old Maine phrase “Can’t get there from here” kept running through my mind as we backtracked south on RT 495 until we reached RT 2. Soon we were traveling along the scenic Mohawk Trail. A nice trip to make when spring finally gets here.

We picked up RT 91 north and pulled off at the first exit in Vermont. It had started to snow or maybe rain. It was hard to tell. I guess the weather term is “wintry mix”. The views from the visitor center were scenic but we didn’t linger for pictures because of the weather.

Something to do on another trip.

Vermont Arrival

It didn’t take long to reach Brattleboro. On Star led us through the village and onto a little dirt road. The road was snow covered by now and starting to get muddy in places. Fun! First time going “mudding” in my Equiniox!

We could see the plastic tubing running along the trees by the side of the road so we knew we were headed in the right direction. Plastic tubing  replaced the traditional buckets for commercial production in the late 1950’s.

Topping a small rise in the road we saw a large farm house on the right. The sugar shack was on the left with clouds of steam billowing from the opening in the roof. This was a traditional Sugar Maple Scene right out of Currier and Ives!

There were plenty of cars parked along the road. It made me wonder what kind of traffic there would have been on a nice day? Time to get the car parked and go inside. Let’s see what this Maple Sugar Festival is all about.